33 - The world of Yama 

Garuda said: 

1. What is the extent of the region of Yama? What is its expanse in proportion to that of the three worlds habitated by the mobile and immobile beings? Please tell me the length of the pathway as recorded by tradition. 

2. O lord, what are the merits or demerits, sins or virtues, as a result of which men go there. Please tell me all concerning this. 

The lord said: 

3. The distance between the mortal world and the region of Yama is eighty-six thousand yojanas (one million thirtytwo thousand kilometres). 

4. The pathway is so hot as the red hot copper. It is impassable. It blazes. Sinners among men, of confused thoughts go there. 

5. There are many sharp thorns of awful appearance. The area is entirely covered by the burning fire. 

6. There is no shady tree where the people can take rest. Their own actions in the form of the nooses of Yama drag them on. 

7. On the way, there is no provision to sustain life. No water is available whereby thirst can be quenched. 

8. Many are oppressed by hunger and many by thirst on that High path. On that impassable path of Yama many shiver with chillness. 

9. The wayfarers find the path difficult in accordance with the gravity of their sins. They are helpless, miserable and confounded as they plod on. 

10. Some bemoan piteously, some speak harshly. Agitated by the effects of their actions they undergo endless distress. 

11. O bird, that pathway has some special characteristics. Those who have been devoid of convetousness in the world procceed along that path peacefully. 

12. The various gifts that people make in the world stand them in good stead in the region of Yama. They go ahead (and make everything comfortable). 

13. Shraddhas and water libations are of no avail to the sinner. These wretches hover here and there in their aerial form. 

14. O good one who are devoted to virtue, the pathway has been narrated to you thus. Now I shall tell you the hard ships one has to undergo on the way to the region of Yama. 

15. The city of Yama is in the southwest direction. It is wholly adamantine, divine and impenetrable to deities as well as demons. 

16. It is square in shape with four entrances and seven outer fort walls. Yama is seated inside together with his messengers. 

17. The city extends over a thousand Yojanas (1200 km.) and is studded with gems resplendent like lightning, blazing fire and the sunshine. 

18. The special palace of Yama with its golden splendour is very extensive and twentyfive yojanas in height. 

19. It is decorated with jewels of lapis lazuli and there are thousands of pillars all round. There are many pearls over the windows from where hundreds of flags and banners hang downwards. 

20. It is resonant with the sound of hells, hundred in number. Hundreds of festoons cover them. It is embellished in various ways as mentioned here and in many other ways as well. 

21. The lord of justice is seated there in his auspicious judgement seat which is ten yojanas in width and which resembles the blue cloud. 

22. Yama knows virtue, practices virtue and is bene volent to those who are virtuous. He is terrifying to the sinner and sweet to the virtuous. 

23. The wind blows there very gently. Many festivals are celebrated there. Many sages conduct discourses there. Different musical instruments are played. 

24-25. In the centre of the city, just near the entrance (to Yama's palace) Chitragupta's palace is situated. It is twenty-five yojanas in length and ten yojanas in height. Highly divine, it is surrounded by an iron-wall. There are hundreds of streets where people move about and the whole city shines with hundreds of banners. 

26. Chitragupta's palace is gay with hundreds of lamps burning and hundreds of musical notes reverberating. It is well painted by those who are experts in the art of drawing and painting. 

27. There, seated in his wonderful driving seat he calculates the age of human beings and others. 

28-29. He never commits any mistake in the matter of merit or demerit. Whatever the man acquired in his various births good or bad along with his eighteen defects is written down by Chitragupta. To the east of Chitragupta's palace is the building of the Fever. 

30. To the south is the abode of Colic pain and the Spider Tumour. To the West are the abodes of the Noose of Kala, Indigestion and Non-relish for food. 

31. To the north of the central seat, the abode of Cholera can be seen. To the north-east the abode of Head-ache and to the south-east the abode of Unconsciousness. 

32. Dysentery resides in the south-west and the Burning sensation in the north-west. Chitragupta is ever surrounded by these. Whatever job is executed by them is immediately written down by Chitragupta. 

33. O Tärkşhya, the messengers stay in different places at the threshold of the palace of Dharmarāja torturing the sinful wretches of evil human beings. 

34. Men are bound with nooses by the messengers of Yama and thrashed with heavy iron clubs. All that is in accordance with their own evil actions. 

35. They are hit and beaten with various weapons and different mechanical devices. They are split with saws and scissors as though they were pieces of lumber. 

36 Others are burned and baked with blazing coal as though they were balls of iron. 

37. Others are seen being dragged here and there on the ground and chopped with sharp knives. They are seen wailing and shouting. All this is due to their own evil actions. 

38. Some are fettered. Some are fried in oil. Thus, the sinners are tortured by the messengers of Yama. 

39-40. Others in millions are heard shouting: 'Give, Give' and demand repayment of debts. Thus, O Tärkşhya, are hells for the sinner. Should I describe them in detail? They have already been described in the sacred codes. I shall now explain the benefit accruing from gifts whereby the person feels pleasure even in hell.